OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Irish Saints

  • Saint Colman, Son of Aingen, July 14

    Another name to add to our list of Irish saints called Colman – Colman, Son of Aingen, commemorated on July 14. Canon O’Hanlon seems to have been aware only of the evidence from the Irish calendars, but Pádraig Ó Riain in his A Dictionary of Irish Saints has accessed genealogical sources to add some welcome extra details. These associate this Colmán, along with his two brothers Cúrnán and Mac Reithe, with Killeroran, County Galway. The trio were also remembered in the church of Ceall Mac nAinghin(e) in Ballymoe. But Canon O’Hanlon’s account below, taken from Volume VII of his Lives of the Irish Saints, refers only to the Irish calendars:

    St. Colman, Son of Aingen.

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, the name of Colman Mac Andgein appears, at the 14th of July. The patronymic furnishes little clue to his family or descent, much less to his locality. He probably lived in or before the eighth century. In the Martyrology of Donegal,we have entered, likewise, Colman, the son of Aingen. On the authority of Father O’Sheerin, the Bollandists have inserted his festival at the present date.
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  • Saint Cruimther Fionntain of Cill-Airthir, July 13

    Canon O’Hanlon brings details of an interesting saint at July 13: Cruimther Fionntain of Cill-airthir. The epithet Cruimther or cruimhthear indicates that our saint was a priest. In his account below, taken from Volume VII of the Lives of the Irish Saints, Canon O’Hanlon first tries to find a locality which fits   with Cill-airthir and then introduces the speculation of Father J.F. Shearman, author of the Loca Patriciana, a study of places associated with Saint Patrick, that our Cruimther Fintan is to be identified with a Crubther Fintain mentioned in the Life of the Welsh saint, Cybi, and based on the Island of Aran. When I turned to the authoritative A Dictionary of Irish Saints by Pádraig Ó Riain, a somewhat different picture of our Priest Fintan emerges. Ó Riain places him in Killerr, County Roscommon and does not comment on Father Shearman’s Aran/St Cybi theory. Instead he refers to the Life of Saint Mochta of Louth where Fiontan is portrayed as a disciple of Saint Patrick who is torn apart by the demons his master battles during Lent on Croagh Patrick. Saint Patrick restores Fiontan, who doesn’t even have a scar from his ordeal. He then went on to become abbot of Killair.  So, a most interesting saint, even if we can only rely on hagiographical rather than historical sources for details of his life and career. Canon O’Hanlon appears to be unaware of the sources Ó’Riain has used, but the account of St Cybi’s difficult dealings with the man of Aran, even if he isn’t our man, is such a good story that I will publish it on the commemoration of the Welsh saint on November 8:

    Cruimther Fionntain, of Cill-airthir. 

    Happy must be the condition of Christian communities, where we find the good priest united with a pious people, and a faithful flock bearing reverence towards their holy pastor. A festival to honour Cruimther Fionntain, of Cill-airthir, appears registered in the Martyrology of Donegal at this date. There is a Killartery townland in the parish of Mayne, barony of Ferrard, and county of Louth; there is also a Killartry townland in the parish of Aghavea, barony of Magherastephana, and county of Fermanagh. These seem the only Irish denominations likely to correspond with the ancient nomenclature of his place, which does not appear to be known. The Rev. John Francis Shearman has identified the present Cruimther Fintan with a Crubther Fintain, who lived in the Island of Aran, and who is said to have chased St. Cybi and his companions Maclog and Cyngar, not only from that place, but even away from Ireland. This, however, is manifestly a legendary story. The Bollandists were furnished by Father O’Sheerin, with a notice of Fintanus Sacerdos de Kill airthir, for the 13th of July.

     

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  • Saint Lonan of Ard Cruinn, July 11

    Another name to add to the ever-growing list of obscure Irish holy men – Saint Lonan of Ard Cruinn, commemorated on July 11. Canon O’Hanlon seeks to identify the locality of Ard Cruinn with Ardcroney in County Tipperary and tells us about an old church site there. No other details of the saint appear to be available:

    St. Lonan, of Ard-Cruinn. 

    Veneration was given, at the 11th of July, to Lonan, of Arda Crainn, as we find entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh. The Bollandists have recorded, at this same date, a feast for Lonanus of Ard-cruinn, as furnished by Father O’Sheerin. We may enquire, if Ard-cruinn can be identical with Ardcroney, a parish in the barony of Lower Ormond, and county of Tipperary. The left side of the direct road —as you advance from Borris-o-kane to Nenagh—affords the site for an ancient church, on a very elevated spot. Connected with this church appear the remains of an old castle; some of the side walls, chambers, winding stairs and window-places, are yet to be seen. The whole group of ruins is enclosed within a much frequented graveyard. The church walls are in tolerable preservation. In one end gable, a narrow cut-stone and pointed window remains entire. The opposite gable, near the old castle, appears rather to have been an interior cross-wall, under which a wide arch opens. The masonry in this group of buildings is very massiveand well cemented. The whole deserves an attentive study from the antiquary and archaeologist. In the Isle of Man—which is full of ancient Celtic ecclesiastical memorials—there is an old, and also a new one—the former giving name to a parish, known as Loman. Tradition states, that a St. Lonan, nephew of the Irish Apostle, is honoured there. The ruins of the ancient church stand in a lonely cemetery a mile and a-half off the main road from Douglas to Luney. In the Martyrology of Donegal,  the feast of this saint is also entered, at the 11th of July.

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    All rights reserved.